Experts Question the Viability of a London to New York Flight powered by 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel
Virgin Atlantic's historic transatlantic flight from London to New York will make aviation history as the first commercial airline to be powered entirely by Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) This groundbreaking achievement marks a significant step towards more environmentally friendly air travel
The upcoming transatlantic flight from London Heathrow to New York's JFK will be the first of its kind to be powered entirely by Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). This innovative type of plane fuel offers a much lower climate impact compared to traditional options. The demonstration flight, operated by Virgin Atlantic using a Boeing 787, is not open to paying passengers but will carry scientists and media on board.
Commercial restrictions
Virgin Atlantic claims that using SAF will cut aircraft emissions by 70%, but skeptics argue that the flight is merely a marketing ploy and that the type of SAF employed will have minimal impact on mitigating aviation's environmental footprint.
Airlines are currently prohibited from using a blend of more than 50% SAF on commercial flights due to regulations. This is to ensure that the new fuels are safe for use in higher concentrations, as determined by engine manufacturers and aviation authorities working together.
A special permit from the UK Civil Aviation Authority was obtained in order to operate the flight. This permit followed a series of technical reviews, including ground tests with 100% SAF on the same type of engines used for the flight.
A series of recent tests have been conducted involving 100% SAF, with the latest being a successful flight. Emirates recently powered one engine of an Airbus A380 superjumbo with SAF, while Gulfstream completed the world's first transatlantic flight using 100% SAF. Large twin-engine jets have also performed flights with 100% SAF, mostly made from waste cooking oils, animal fat, and a small portion from corn waste. Virgin Atlantic has adopted SAF to cut the flight's emissions by 70%, along with other measures to limit environmental impact and increase efficiency, such as operating the taxi phase with just one engine and reducing the amount of potable water onboard to the necessary minimum.
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SAF represents a significant investment in commercial aviation, accounting for approximately 2.5% of worldwide carbon emissions. Despite facing challenges in decarbonization, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) anticipates that SAF will be crucial in achieving the industry's goal of net zero emissions by 2050. In fact, IATA predicts that up to 65% of emission reductions will be attributed to SAF.
Although SAF burns and emits the same amount of emissions as conventional jet fuel while in flight, its overall carbon footprint is lower due to being made from plants that absorbed carbon dioxide from the atmosphere while alive. When burned, the CO2 is released back into the atmosphere, unlike fossil fuel-based jet fuel, which emits previously locked-away carbon.
Not all SAFs are equal
There are several methods for producing SAF, such as using renewable energy instead of plant waste. However, the current cost is up to 6 times higher than regular kerosene, and it only accounts for 0.1% of global jet fuel usage. This means that its impact is far from meeting IATA's future projections.
Virgin Atlantic's goal, along with previous flights, is to gather data on technical feasibility and raise awareness about sustainable fuels in order to increase their production. However, according to Cat Hewitt, policy director at the UK non-profit Aviation Environment Federation, the flight is seen as a gimmick rather than a game changer. "One flight on 100% alternative fuel isn't enough to address the fact that 99.9% of aviation fuel is still fossil fuel, and there are limited sustainable options for raw materials that can be scaled up," she explains.
Hewitt doubts the carbon reduction effectiveness of using plant-based fuel to offset plane emissions, stating that the carbon dioxide would have been captured anyway if the fuel is made from waste products. She also highlights that sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is currently produced from waste, but believes that the only truly sustainable option is to use synthetic fuel made from captured carbon and green hydrogen. However, she acknowledges that these "e-fuels" are expensive and energy intensive to produce.
"She says that in order to produce these fuels in significant amounts, we would need to significantly ramp up our supply of renewable energy, and airlines would need to be willing to pay a much higher price."
An Emirates Airbus A380-800 aircraft flew with one of its engines powering entirely by SAF on November 22, 2023.
Giuseppe Cacace/AFP via Getty Images
Scaling up will also pose a challenge, as Hewitt notes, pointing to a report from the Royal Society, the national academy of sciences in the UK. The report suggests that generating enough biofuels to meet domestic demand would require more than half of the country's agricultural land.
Despite this, Graham Hutchings, who led the group responsible for the report, does not view the Virgin Atlantic flight as a mere stunt. "I believe it is significant as it raises public awareness," he states. "In the short term, Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs) are likely to serve as a drop-in fuel for existing aircraft engines while other technologies are developed. However, it is essential for industry, regulators, and legislators to ensure that the full environmental impacts are taken into account."
Matteo Mirolo, SAF lead at the European Federation for Transport and Environment, emphasizes the importance of focusing on synthetic fuels and advanced biofuels over current waste-derived alternatives. According to Mirolo, SAF is a broad term encompassing various methods of producing jet fuel, some of which have the potential to reduce aviation's climate impact while others may exacerbate the issue. Additionally, he adds, "Until we have truly zero-emission technology for air travel, the most effective way to cut aviation emissions is simply to fly less."
